A curious baby fur seal caused a delightful stir after it unexpectedly waddled into a craft beer bar in Richmond, New Zealand, turning a quiet Sunday evening into an unforgettable wildlife encounter.
The Unlikely Pub Patron
On a wet Sunday evening at the top of New Zealand's South Island, the pet-friendly bar's co-owner, Bella Evans, initially mistook the small, waddling visitor for a dog. A closer look revealed the truth: a lost and inquisitive baby fur seal had entered the premises. "Everyone was in shock," Evans recalled. "Oh my gosh. What do we do? What's going on?"
The seal's appearance was not entirely random. Scientists identify an annual "silly season" for seals and sea lions, a period spanning several months where the young animals frequently turn up in bizarre locations. This can include residential houses, golf courses, and even busy roads as they explore inland.
The Great Pub Rescue
Attempting to guide the seal out safely, a customer used a sweater to usher it towards a back door. The clever pup, however, evaded capture, darting first into a bathroom and then finding refuge under a commercial dishwasher. Staff promptly unplugged the appliance for safety.
A quick-thinking plan was hatched. Another customer fetched a dog crate from home, while Evans decided to use a lure: a salmon pizza topping that was on special that night. "I just went to my fiance, I said, 'grab the salmon! Grab the salmon!'" she explained. Meanwhile, a call was placed to the Department of Conservation (DoC).
Conservation Success Brings Wildlife Closer
It transpired that DoC rangers were already searching for the wandering seal. It was their fourth public call-out for the same animal that day, as they had been scouring a new-build subdivision in Richmond. DoC spokesperson Helen Otley confirmed the department had received "numerous" reports about the seal before its pub visit.
Otley praised the bar staff, who "did a great job keeping the seal safe" until rangers could take over. The young seal, affectionately nicknamed "Fern" by the pub team, was later released on the nearby dog-free Rabbit Island, deemed a safe location. Otley noted that such exploratory journeys are normal behaviour for young seals, who can follow rivers and streams up to 15 kilometres inland.
This increasing interaction is a direct result of successful conservation programmes in New Zealand, which have boosted seal and sea lion populations, bringing them into closer contact with human habitats. For Evans, a new pub owner, it was a first. The baby fur seal was the first patron she has ever had to evict. She joked that the establishment had earned the "seal of approval" and assured Fern would be welcome back anytime.
